Intro to Construction
(PRE-Apprenticeship)

What is it?

A Pre-Apprenticeship program is a course designed to take someone with zero experience and turn them into a job-ready candidate for a formal union or company trade apprenticeship.

While a full apprentice is an employee who gets paid to work and learn, a pre-apprentice is a student. Your day-to-day is split between the classroom and a shop (a controlled lab environment) where you can make mistakes while learning without cost to a job’s budget or timeline.

Responsibilities during a pre-apprenticeship program:

The goal of the program is to give you the core curriculum. You aren’t just learning to hammer nails; you are learning how to survive and thrive on a professional job site.

Earning Your “License to Work”: A huge part of the program is getting the certifications that contractors require before you can even step onto a site. You will spend days earning:

OSHA 10: Learning how not to get hurt (falls, electrical hazards, etc.).
First Aid/CPR: Being prepared for site emergencies.
Flagging & Forklift: Learning to manage traffic and move heavy materials safely.

Shop & Lab Work: This is where you build simulated projects. You will practice:

Tool Mastery: Identifying and safely using circular saws, reciprocating saws, drills, and pneumatic nailers.
Carpentry Basics: Measuring, cutting, and framing small structures (like a shed or a stud wall).
Blueprint Reading: Learning how to look at a “bird’s-eye view” drawing and translate it into a physical object.

The Trades Tour: Pre-apprenticeship programs often take you on field trips to different union training centers. You might spend a day with the Electricians (IBEW), then the Plumbers (UA), then the Ironworkers. This helps you decide which specific trade you want to apply for later.

Length of Training

2 Weeks

Type of Training

In Person

* Salary Range

$46,000-$83,000

(entry level – experienced)

Is it Right For You?

Since a pre-apprenticeship is essentially a high-stakes job interview that lasts several weeks, the skills they look for aren’t necessarily about how well you can build a house (they’ll teach you that). Instead, they are looking for work ethic and trainability.

Here are the specific skills and qualities that will make you stand out to the instructors who eventually recommend you for a full apprenticeship:

Punctuality: In the trades, being late is the fastest way to get fired.
Physical Stamina and Grit: You don’t need to be a bodybuilder, but you do need to be okay with being on your feet all day, working in the heat or cold, and getting your hands dirty. A good student doesn’t complain when it’s time to move a pile of bricks or sweep the shop for the third time.
Coachability: Instructors look for coachable people. This means:
- Taking criticism without getting defensive.
- Asking “Why?” so you understand the logic behind a task.
- Admitting when you don’t know something instead of “faking it” and creating a safety hazard.
Safety Conscious: A great pre-apprentice has “eyes in the back of their head.” They don’t just wear their own safety glasses; they notice if a teammate is about to trip over a cord or if a ladder isn’t set up at the right angle.
Spatial Reasoning: This is the ability to look at a pile of lumber and see the frame of the bench you’re supposed to build. It’s about understanding how parts fit together in 3D space.
Mental Math: You need to be able to manipulate fractions in your head quickly.
Hand-Eye Coordination: You’ll need to develop finesse with tools. This includes:
- Driving a screw straight without stripping the head.
- Making a clean, square cut with a circular saw.
- Using a level to ensure a wall isn’t leaning.
Communication and Follow-Through: On a job site, instructions are often barked out quickly. A good pre-apprentice listens, repeats the instruction back to confirm they understood it (“You want three studs cut at $92\ 5/8$, correct?”), and then executes it exactly as told.

Intro to Construction
(PRE-Apprenticeship)

What is it?